Code Geass: Vignettes on a Theme
by koa-chan
Summary: A collection of 20 Code Geass drabbles based on a theme. Characters: Lelouch, CC, Euphie, Suzaku, Nunnally, Gino, Anya, Kanon, Schneizel and others - varying pairings, full list inside.
1. Memory : SuzakuXEuphemia

**A/N: **Hello, here's to Code Geass: Vignettes on a Theme. I recently did a 100-fic drill (as mentioned in several chaps of SomeLittleLunacy), and here I'm posting the drabbles that came for Code Geass! :D Hope you like them.

**Full List of Pairings/Characters: **my usual Lelouch/CC, VV/CC, Suzaku/Euphie, Suzaku/Nunnally, Gino/Anya, Milly/Lloyd, Villeta/Ohgi, Kanon/Schneizel, Kallen, Cecille, Cornelia/Guilford, Charles/Marianne

I'd appreciate it if you take the time and tell me what you think about them.

So first in line, Suzaku and Euphemia.

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**Memory**_  
Suzaku + Euphemia  
_

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They only had few memories. The blood-filled ones were abundant among those few stolen snapshots, but the love and hope and longing was in every moment.

They only had few memories. The intimates ones were rare, but they were filled with smiles and certainty and acceptance and yearning.

They only had few memories. His smile, her laugh, his embrace, her tears. Their fingers intertwined, their arms wrapped around each other, their hope clashing, their love fitting perfectly.

They only had few memories. She, his princess. He, her knight. Only few stolen moments of meaningful gazes and unreasonable glances.

They only had few memories. And today, he concludes. That was kind of a good thing. Because he remembers each and every one of them. No matter how painful, they were of her, and her beauty, her personality, her hope, her love.

No - THEIR hope. THEIR love.

He remembers. Each and every single moment. And as Princess Euphemia's knight, Suzaku Kururugi relishes her memories, sheds not a single tear and walks away from her grave, making a silent promise to always, always remember. He would never forget.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	2. Insanity : LelouchXCC

**A/N: **Personal favorite.

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Insanity  
**_Lelouch + C.C.  
_

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She hears him laugh. Laugh in madness, in frantic fits, and in hysterical happiness. Was it still happiness?

She hears him laugh. She knows he might lose it any moment now. Lose everything, lose himself. Is hope still there?

She hears him laugh. He falls deeper into the pits of obsessive desire, lustful power, pleasure-induced evil. Is he still himself?

She hears him sob. He cries and he holds his head with both hands, as if holding on to reality. He cries for he just laughed. He is insane, isn't he?

She hears him sob some more. He weeps. For falling into the pits of obsessive desire, showing lust for power, taking pleasure in what was evil. For losing himself. Almost, almost.. perhaps and in time... he'll be gone. He'll be mad enough. And isn't he, already?

She kneels in front of him. She holds her arms out and he falls in them. Desperate, gripping the only traces of sanity left in him. Desperate, for she was his hope right now. Desperate, because he still, still, still wants to go on. He still so badly wants, wants, wants to hold on.

She holds him. Still. Steady. His breathing returns to normal, he holds her back, and he thanks her silently. He runs his hand down her green locks, as if they were strings that pull him together. His violet gaze stares down on her golden ones, as if they were hypnotic orbs that push him back to reality. He keeps crying - because one moment he was lost, and here in her arms, he knew he was safe from insanity.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	3. Tomorrow : Lelouch

**A/N: **Because it's bittersweet.

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Tomorrow  
**_Lelouch  
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"Tomorrow I will die." he said that as if it was a joke. Lelouch smiled to himself, agonized at the fact, but accepting it. He looked at his companions.

Nah, they didn't find it funny.

Jeremiah was gripping his glass of orange juice a little too tightly, he was focused on his documents a little too much, and he was frowning a little too deep.

Suzaku had simply stared down at his meal, seemingly in a daze. Maybe he didn't want to eat anymore. Lelouch's bad joke was something that throws off his appetite.

C.C. silently nibbled on her pepperoni pizza, as if she heard nothing. She hugged Cheese-kun to herself and went on eating.

Lelouch resumed his meal. Maybe they didn't like the plan after all. But it's too late. Tomorrow he dies, he destroys the world and creates a new one in a matter of minutes.

So he should celebrate, really.

If only these three killjoys would realize what exactly they were moping around for.

But he couldn't blame them. After all, it wasn't he who would lose a loved-one. It was them. He knows how that feels. It's just that he's a really good actor.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	4. Stars : CorneliaXGuilford

**A/N: **Weird. But Guilford has always been so. ;)

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Stars  
**_Cornelia + Guilford  
_

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She is a star. Will always be.

For Sir Gilbert G. Guilford, who was a loyal follower of royalty since the beginning, the kings and queens and princes and princesses whom he serve were all celestial elements of the universe.

For him, Second Princess Cornelia li Brittania was a star. The brightest one amongst the many. Because she follows her own path, has her own belief and shines like no other, even in bloodshed.

She was a star, because she didn't need anyone to give off her own light. She wasn't like the moon or the sun which needed sources to shine. She was a star, not just something shiny to stare at, but something which radiates her own warmth in her own way.

And when she disappeared, she had created a supernova.

For he will, at all costs, find her again - sending the people who are in his way to oblivion. Like a black hole. The product of a supernova. An explosion so strong and feared. She had made him to this - a black hole who will destroy at all cost anything that comes near him.

And then she shines again. And, without any scientific basis or explanation, the black hole stops destroying and simply becomes a spectator of a star returning to brightness, although dimmed by some matter that he could not comprehend.

But she is, again, a star. Will always be. And he, without any coherent explanation or process, will keep changing for her - transforming to weapon to protector to friend to spectator - whatever she deems fit. Whatever she needs. He'll be anything, everything and nothing.

As long as she continues to shine. For a star like her would create many things.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	5. Eyes : Lelouch et al

**A/N: **Long, and another personal favorite.

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Eyes  
**_C.C., Lelouch, Rollo, Mao, Marianne, Charles  
_

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Behind the Geass are no more than children and men - hoping, yearning. Behind the Geass are two sides of the same coin, and reasons as to why they accept their power. Their gift. Their curse.

"I order you - die!" Behind those glowing sigils were eyes of deep violet. The eyes of a boy with dreams and love. Compassion. But shrouded with lust for revenge and hatred. That is why Lelouch vi Brittania covers those violets with shining crimson - because he wants to achieve a world for the only person he values in his life more than anything now, and the only way was to have anyone follow his command.

"Love me, would you?" Behind those glowing sigils were eyes of pure gold. The eyes of nothing but a pleading, hopeless girl who has seen too much poverty and suffering in her short life. But it was clouded with longing and acceptance for someone. Anyone. That is the reason why C.C. covers those golden orbs with shining crimson - because she wants nothing but love, someone to accept her for who she is, even though she knew that the love her eyes could force was fake.

"I can read your mind." Behind those glowing sigils were eyes of a quivering, scared child. All alone in his life, gifted -or cursed- with the ability to hear thoughts. But because of that, he can understand them better. That is why Mao covers his irises with shining crimson - because he wants to understand, to dig deeper, even though it suffocates him and drives him to insanity.

"Stop." Behind those glowing sigils were eyes of hopeful violet. The eyes of a boy who grew up with no family, raised to kill, designed to destroy. A tool. Behind emotionless expressions of an assassin so strong, was a fragile little boy, who wanted nothing but a family, and memories that are not shed with blood. That is the reason why Rollo Haliburton covers his violet eyes with shining crimson - because he wants to use this talent to serve his masters. Because they promised nothing but a better life, even though he had no basis on why he should trust them in the first place.

"Your heart. Let me enter." Behind those glowing sigils were eyes of radiant blue. The woman wants the best for her children, and the fulfillment of her husband's idealistic dreams. She conveys trespassing. Her ability to offend another's very core by infiltrating it was her specialty. But she was still a mother. Still a wife. That is why Marianne Lamperouge covers her irises with shining crimson - because she wants to do her part of their plan, to keep watch over things that should be kept in place - all for one dream that she shares with the man she loves.

"Let us rewrite those memories of yours." Behind those glowing sigils were eyes of magnificent purple. The man was a father, and an Emperor. He destroys and he plots. He erases memories and implants new ones. But the man wanted nothing but a world with no lies. A world where war is not welcome and is shunned. He was a man who wanted everyone to understand each other. He was a man who wanted to keep his promise. That is the reason why Charles zi Brittania covers his royal eyes with shining crimson - because he wants to keep his vow of a utopia where lies do not exist, despite the obvious fact that his ability of rewriting memories is a euphemism for fabricating a perfect lie in itself.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	6. Dreams : SuzakuXNunnally

**A/N: **My friend cried on this one.

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Dreams  
**_Nunnally + Suzaku  
_

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Nunnally cries in her dreams. She remembers her brother, how he died with that satisfied smile. She remembers C.C., who she ran into after the execution, puffy-eyed and speechless. She remembers big sister Euphie, her voice stating her ideals of a new peaceful united world. She remembers Suzaku's laugh that she barely hears anymore. She remembers Cornelia's and Schneizel's comforting words as they use the Damocles and get ready to destroy. She reminisces the feel of the FLEIJA bomb controller on her hands, and how it feels to kill innocent people. She recalls her father's voice when he met her again for years, and how in his tone she found some affectionate accents. She cries because in those tender and difficult moments, Lelouch-nii-sama had been busy founding a perfect world for her, which ends up in him being seen as evil. Which ends up with him sacrificing his life in the end. In those tender and difficult moments, her brother was having twice or thrice internal suffering and emotional difficulty.

Suzaku hears her sobs. He enters her room and kneels infront of her bed. He grips her hand and hugs her tight. He hums a tune he doesn't recognize. He whispers some words to desperately soothe her.

And in turn, the girl holds on to him as she cries some more. There were nights like this that she was unbelievably lonely. Vulnerable. And she simply wanted to hold on to him because somehow, he keeps her strong.

Little did she know that sometimes, Suzaku has the same dreams.

And he was holding her because somehow, she keeps him strong.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	7. Dying : Kallen

**A/N: **I don't hate Kallen. It's just that... this seems to fit her. And the concept wouldn't escape me.

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Dying  
**_Kallen  
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Kallen has died many times.

She died once when she first saw the woman. The witch was on the cave with Zero. Standing so close, so comfortably.

She died again when she realized that the woman probably knew Zero's identity. C.C. shared a room with their commander, and she follows him like a cat - Zero himself never left the witch behind. He'll pause on his walk if he senses that the woman isn't following anymore, then nudges her back to him.

She died when she found out who Zero is.

She died when they lost him.

She dies whenever C.C. mentions something intimate she shared with Lelouch-.. No, she tells herself - it was Zero.

And while she was rejuvenated when their leader came back to them, she died once again when she realized that, like before - she had no chance for him.

The three of them stood on the rooftop of Ashford Academy, talking about some things important for the Black Knights. And she sees the way C.C. puts her arms on Lelouch's shoulder, giving him a light nudge that signals her request that he lean down. He does so, more comfortably than the ace pilot could have ever imagined. Her keen eyes caught his hand rest on the witch's waist for a while, pulling her closer so her could hear her better. C.C. whispered something to his ear and finished with a smirk, whilst he simply smiled knowingly at her.

Kallen died at that moment yet again. She promises herself not to die any more. Because she really, really shouldn't.

To no avail.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	8. Jukebox : Black Knights

**A/N: **Because they like to party.

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Jukebox  
**_Lelouch, The Black Knights  
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C.C. watched. She sat on a couch comfortably, alone. Legs crossed and pizza box on lap, she watched the scene unfold.

She kept herself from laughing.

Zero sat beside her then, looking at her amused expression. "How long has this been going on?"

The witch smirked. "About.. three hours, approximately."

The man behind the iconic mask sighed.

Tamaki was holding the microphone, singing a japanese hip-hop soundtrack via the Black Knights' official karaoke machine, and Ohgi was pulling Kallen to sing along. Rakshata was smoking and posing in her own couch, drinking with Asahina, Chiba, Toudo and Diethard. Kaguya was happily dancing along Tamaki's song together with the younger teenage female members of the Black Knights. The remaining were busy making noise and drinking rowdily, and cheering their maroon-haired treasurer.

Well, they were drunk, alright.

Zero grunted.

This was a scene after a big fight with Brittania's main forces. And maybe, before an all-out offensive attack in the morning.

"Are you sure they will be healthy enough to pilot and commence the attack for tomorrow?" C.C. asked the rebellion leader, a smirk plastered on her face.

Zero only grunted even more. He just had to pray to the odds.

He just had to trust them. After all, they were his men.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	9. Exotic : Cecille

**A/N: **Because we love her.

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Exotic  
**_Cecille  
_

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Everyone loves Cecille.

Despite her exotic dishes and poisonous cooking, everybody loves her.

She was a mother to Suzaku, a big sister to Nina, a friend to Milly, a confidante to Lloyd and a really really nice person to every colleague and relative.

Everyone loves Cecille.

Even though her dishes were exotic, they love her so much. Because they wouldn't have her any other way.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	10. Sacrifice : CharlesXMarianne

**A/N: **And my friend REALLY cried on this. In fact, she wailed on me.

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Sacrifice  
**_Charles + Marianne  
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A worthy sacrifice.

And Charles threw away the nearest thing he could - the vase smashed against the wall, shattering into a million pieces.

And another one.

And another, another one.

Worthy, his ass.

Marianne's funeral just finished a while ago. Her 'death' was perfect, an assassination that not even Schneizel or Cornelia can get a hold of.

He won't be together with her for years.

Worthy? That's what he likes to think.

Nunnally was blinded now, and he did it himself. Plus, she's crippled. Never to walk again. The doctors diagnosed that.

He won't be able to see those violet eyes anymore.

Worthy. That's what he insisted.

Lelouch will be a rebel now. He was forced to. And Charles would only throw him out, exile his own son. Because it was in the plan.

He won't see him running around with his brothers and sisters here anymore.

Worthy! It was a necessary, and worthy sacrifice!

He had to do it. Even though as a husband and a father it breaks him inside. He shouldn't even be feeling hurt. But no, he was here, breaking everything he can, the vases, plates, several furniture.

Yes, Charles zi Brittania has a heart. And he had sacrificed it too.

All came smashing against the walls and the floors, an imitation to his weak, shattered heart. Maybe, if they break like him, he will feel better. And be able to lie to himself - it was a worthy sacrifice. It was for them.

But he knew better. He just had to pretend that he didn't. Yet - another sacrifice.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	11. Fairy Tale : GinoXAnya

**A/N: **And it's as cliched as it can get.

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Fairy Tale  
**_Gino + Anya  
_

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This was no fairy tale.

A fairy tale should consist of a female lead that is either a princess, a fair maiden a.k.a damsel in distress, or a poor underappreciated young girl.

Plus a prince. Always, always a prince. Even a frog turns out to be a prince.

Anya rolled her eyes.

She is a Knight. She's not a princess skipping through fields of flowers, sleeping on a tower, or cleaning the house with what was left of her power.

Hey, that rhymes.

Ahem - she instead rides on a gigantic robot, firing Hadron Cannons, everywhere, and she never ever ever skipped through fields of flowers.

And he is a Knight, too. Not a prince - a knight. Not one who rides a noble steed and venturing far places to rescue a damsel in distress.

He instead rides on a gigantic robot, like her, slashing through other gigantic robots and causing explosions that are not too gallant.

And he is not one to rescue her from a curse, nor is she one to break his - instead they fight side by side and shine in the battlefield.

This is not a fairy tale.

But on a grand royal ball, she finds herself sitting with him under the night, in the garden, beside a wishing well surrounded by rose bushes and he was kneeling before her. Everything clashed together and...

WHEN, when, WHEN did she decide to-.. more importantly, WHY was she wearing glass slippers?

Because he kneeled down to her, held her foot and slipped on it her footwear smoothly, before looking up and giving her a cheeky smile. "This looks like Cinderella, right?"

The maiden smacked him lightly on the head before frowning. "My name is Anya, you fool. And I'm not a princess."

Gino grinned brightly. "Don't worry, you're prettier than all princesses combined!"

She put her hands on his shoulders and tried to stand. He also stood up, taking her hands in his as he supported her.

"Your feet better now?"

She nodded, but walked in a small limp. This was his fault in the first place. "It stings a bit."

He kneels again, but this time back facing her. "Hop on, let's get someone to fix it."

Anya smiles lightly.

Proven. This is no fairy tale. Piggy-back rides don't exist in those cheesy love stories.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	12. Tangled : CCXVV

**A/N: **No comment, really. Super super really.

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Tangled  
**_C.C. + V.V.  
_

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The boy groaned, and groaned, and then growled.

"WORK ON IT PROPERLY!!!!"

C.C. blinked. V.V. glared.

"It hurts, dammit!!"

The woman simply continued to brush the blonde locks with her fingers, as she shrugged off the attitude of the boy. The door then opened, and a raven head peeked in. "Oh! Am I disturbing you?"

"No-"

"YES!"

Marianne giggled and then took her leave, effectively dodging V.V.'s scowl. The boy huffed, and the green-haired woman frowned at him. He was so comfortably using her lap as a pillow. And this was her bed, in her room. No need for him to be so bossy. It wasn't his territory.

"What?"

"You're mean, best friend. I'm helping you on your bad hair day and you drive my contractor away."

"Say what." the boy frowned back at her, looking up. "Just friggin' do it- OWWWW!!"

C.C. smirked.

The boy looked up at her tearily. "Don't pull on my hair, it hurts!!!"

The pulling did not stop.

C.C. was enjoying herself.

Then the next thing she knew, she was on the floor, on her back. And V.V. was sitting on the bed, smirking at her, an oversized pillow on his arms. "FUCK YOU, WITCH! DON'T TOUCH MY HAIR AGAIN!"

C.C. simply smirked back. And then lunged at the boy.

V.V. didn't know who he was messing with. Apparently. And then the tables suddenly turned, as he found himself being suffocated under the pillow that he was holding, and the witch was straddling him forcefully.

"Serves you right, blondie-"

"Not yeeeet!!!"

C.C. didn't know the boy's physical capabilities. Apparently. As now the boy had strangled her and hit her head repeatedly with the pillow.

"If it's a pillow fight you want, then I'm on." The woman chided, as she pushed the boy off the bed and grabbed her own fluffy pillow, promptly hitting him with it with all the force she can.

"You said it!" But V.V. crawled under her attack and glomped on the bed, then pulled her long green hair, making the woman lose her balance and land on the floor again. C.C. recovered quickly and pinned the boy down the bed with her pillow, this time his struggling caused both of them to roll towards the other side of the bed, where V.V. kicked her off him. She stumbled but pulled him with her by the hair, resulting him falling on top of her and with that, the two started yet another bout in their pillow wrestling match.

"Ungrateful brat."

"Stupid woman!"

"Little blonde idiot!"

"Green goblin!"

A few hours later, Marianne was surprised to see the two barge in her room and demand her to 'untangle' them.

Apparently they love their green and blonde locks too much.

They swore to kill her if she uses scissors to withdraw that pillowcase zipper which got stuck within the tangled mess.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	13. Emergence : OhgiXVilleta

**A/N: **I don't know how to write these two.

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Emergence  
**_Ohgi + Villeta  
_

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Emergence of inappropriate feelings is the most unecessary thing a soldier should experience.

Villeta knew that. She was a soldier of the Holy Empire of Brittania.

Ohgi knew that too. He was a soldier of the Black Knights.

So when they discovered that they were each pawns of opposite sides of the chess game...-

They instantly discarded the feelings. The link between them.

Thing is, it re-emerges just as fast as they decide to let it go.

They couldn't throw it away, no.

It comes back.

It was so inappropriate, so necessary.

Its emergence was not to be expected, not to be anticipated. Not to be accepted.

Thing is, they tried not to expect, tried not to anticipate, tried not to accept - to no avail.

It just keeps coming back.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	14. All The World's a Stage : Lelouch

**A/N: **Angsty, yet again.

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All The World's a Stage  
**_Lelouch  
_

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Lelouch vi Brittania finds the scene funny.

Fools.

But no, he should not say that.

They were his audience.

All the world's a stage. And he was the actor, the main character, the scriptwriter and the director. The others are merely supporting characters. They were supposed to follow his scripts. The others are extras. The unnoticed people in the background. They exist for a reason. They are for drama and flare. For effect.

All the world's a stage. But among his supporting characters, some do adlibs. It was just quick thinking that helped him turn them back to follow his script. The uncooperative green-haired witch, the envious white knight, the impulsive, egoistic emperor, and the others who were so stubborn to follow his plans. Anyways, they still follow in the end.

Before close curtain, he sees angry faces, and some crying ones.

All went according to the script. In the end, he was a great actor, writer and director.

Fools. He still thinks. Still believes. Because everything went as planned. Because they dared his resolve and failed.

All the world's a stage. Lelouch vi Brittania breaks all four walls.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	15. Wish : LelouchXCC

**A/N: **Another personal fave.

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Wish  
**_Lelouch + C.C.  
_

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"My only wish is to die."

He thought that it was a stupid wish.

He loved her, spoiled her, trusted her - all to show her that she could and should reconsider that wish.

"Ever heard of the saying 'be careful what you wish for'?" he asked her.

"Of course. That's been a saying for damned centuries."

Oh, he should have known. But Lelouch still smiled, tucked a stray strand of green locks behind her ears. "If that wish comes true, what do you think will happen to me?"

She frowns a bit, affected by what he said. But he hated it when she was so strong like this. He wanted her to be vulnerable sometimes - so he'd have a valid excuse to embrace and comfort her. "To your credit card, you mean?"

C.C. had always been cruel.

"I will not grant that wish." he states just as cruelly.

She frowns once again, and glares at him. "May I ask for the reason why?"

He grabs her hand and pressed his lips against it, before smiling reassuringly.

"Because I can grant you things a million times better than that."

And C.C. could only think of one thing that fit his description.

She was right.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	16. Words : SchneizelXKanon

**A/N: **It's all about loving these two so much.

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Words  
**_Kanon + Schneizel  
_

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"In public and private matters."

Kanon was the kind of person to like puns and wordplays. He is a smooth talker, and he liked to joke around.

Public - a word, he said that because it was true. Publicly he'll be by his prince's side, advising and giving out orders to their subordinates.

Private - another word, he said that because it was true. Privately he'll also be by his prince's side, being the perfect partner and advisor for all matters relating to his highness' personal life.

"I am his highness Prince Schneizel's aide."

Words. Words that convey what he is to his Prince.

And Kanon insists - they are words. JUST words.

Because there was no way to describe how his prince looks at him whenever he looked disturbed. There was was no way to say how much the prince had shown him that he is important - that he is trusted. Loved.

Sometimes, Kanon meant the words he say.

"My Prince, please rest a bit."

He absolutely meant every single one.

"I will not let you lay a hand on Prince Schneizel. You would have to see me dead before hurting him."

He was an Earl, a standing Knight to his Prince - though not dubbed officially, and everything that goes in between.

"I couldn't have done it without you, Kanon."

And he knew, the Prince Schneizel meant some words too.

Fervent combinations of symbols called letters, said out loud. Words. Statements.

"Earl Maldini has been my brother's closest friend since the beginning."

Some had meaning, some had none.

"He's the Second Prince's aide."

Random thoughts. They were just words. Some are meaningful, but Kanon knows that there is more to it than that. The Prince Schneizel himself had shown him far greater things and made him felt far greater feelings without even speaking.

"Confidante."

"Friend."

"Lover?"

"Best Friend."

"Advisor."

"Someone special?"

There are no words for them.

After all, words were just words.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	17. Indirectly : LloydXMilly

**A/N: **I know Lloyd and Cecille has more fans. But it's Lloyd and Milly for me.

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Indirectly  
**_Lloyd + Milly  
_

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She broke off the engagement because she wanted freedom, and she wanted to decide on her own. That Lloyd understood.

Milly is a pretty, nice, kind and sweet woman - and she deserved her liberty to do what she wanted. That Lloyd can see, and he agrees fully.

So when she came to him on the lab after her graduation and told him everything, he just laughed off and accepted her choice.

"Thanks, Lloyd."

But he couldn't understand why she was crying when she said her thanks. He did his best to show her that he's not sad, right? He put up his most sensible 'I-understand-you' face while she was saying everything she wanted to say. Lloyd was sane enough to try and do that.

Right?

"For everything."

She hugged him then, and of course what kind of person wouldn't hug her back? Lloyd smiled and chuckled some more as he rubbed her back and told her to "Stop crying, you'll ruin your make-up!"

"I don't wear make-up, you know that." was her mumbled against his hair, and he smiled again, tenderly this time.

"I was kidding! Hahahaha! My dear Milly wouldn't need make-up now, right? She's pretty like that!"

She tries to laugh amongst her tears and kisses him on the cheek cheerfully before letting go, facing him again while dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "Bye. And thanks again."

"Sure, sure, come and visit when you have time!" he waved her off as cheerfully as he could. "And good luck with that news center!"

He'd indirectly told her that he HAD loved her and he knows that she knows it. The dates inside the lab, the times he just popped up at her house because she requested help on science homework via phone even when it was late at night.

She's done the same too. She has learned to adore him and his antics. She took his advice of 'just-call-if-you-need-me' seriously, and he did too. When she needed random and crazy ideas, she'll turn to Lloyd for suggestions. And they'd learned to laugh with each other like best friends and the supposed lovers that they are.

It had been a happy, alright year.

When she came to him, and hugged him and kissed him saying 'goodbye', she had indirectly told him that she's sorry for being so selfish and breaking it off because she loves him still.

When he waved at her happily but told her to come back some time, he had indirectly told her that it's okay but that he'll be ready to welcome her because he'll be sad without her so often.

It was funny that whilst she was the hyper bubbly blonde party girl and he was the almost-introverted weird and eccentric mas scientist, they knew each other better without the words and the direct connection. And while they hadn't conveyed any sort of visible loving affection, they knew each other well enough to understand indirect implications.

So when Milly exits the lab with a smile on her face and Lloyd waves her goodbye with that reassuring, manic grin, Cecille sees clearly - that although they are both hurt by a decision, they'll be okay in no time because they knew every reason behind every twist and turn in their relationship.

And she knows that, after all this is through, they might just come back to each other kicking, screaming and merry-making like the eccentric people that they both are.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	18. Bird's Eye Perspective : SchneizelXKanon

**A/N: **And here's to the two again.

**

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Bird's Eye Perspective  
**_Schneizel + Kanon  
_

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He first caught sight of his aide from a bird's eye perspective.

Prince Schneizel was just twelve then, and among the many heads he can see from such a high place in his balcony, he caught sight of pink hair among the blondes, ravens, reds and browns.

He liked that shade.

It wasn't too distracting like Cornelia's, or too bright like Euphie's or Carlene's. Not as pale as Guinevere's.

Just the right shade. Pretty to look at.

"Who's that?" he asked a random knight that was tasked to stand by this very spot. And the knight, luckily, knew who he was pertaining to.

"That boy should be a member of the Maldini family, your highness."

"Cute." and Schneizel grinned.

The knight stared as the blonde prince took his leave, and for the umpteenth time, told himself that the prince was really strange like that.

When his mother introduced him to the ten year-old pink-haired boy, Schneizel thought that he was right.

Cute.

And when the women gathered together for their chats at that ball, Schneizel was left standing still in front of his new... friend. Yes, they were friends now. His mother told him to make friends in this party.

"May I call you Kanon?" he initiated.

The boy was meek and he was agitated when he looked up. "Y-Yes, your highness-"

"Call me Schneizel, then."

The boy was shocked, stammering his way to answering the question. Kanon looked down. "Yes, S-Schneizel..."

He wasn't used to talking to a very high person in nobility. After all, the blonde in front of him IS the Second Prince Schneizel.

"You're really cute."

At that Kanon looked up and blushed, mouth opening and closing to find an appropriate reply to the prince's.. compliment?

Schneizel laughed at the meek antics and then told the boy that he meant it.

Because he really did.

"Friends?"

"Of course, your high-.. erm, Schneizel."

And then they were best friends. Because Schneizel was strange and Kanon was weird.

After years, he stood again on that same balcony, looking over on a bird's eye perspective as guests flooded the Imperial Palace.

The seventeen year-old prince had been advised by his father to choose a Knight, or at least, an aide. He will be handling areas in a month - an executive order from the Emperor. And surely he didn't want to go there and risk not having enough security. Or, in Schneizel's perspective, assistance.

He stood on the same balcony, looking with a bird's eye perspective as more people came.

And as he caught sight of the light pink hair, he smiled.

Still utterly, horrifyingly, hopelessly, unbelievably...

"Last time I've had news of him, he was an outstanding student in the military school. Guilford mentioned him receiving the title of 'Earl'."

...Cute.

Standing beside him, Cornelia raised an eyebrow as her brother chuckled at her words.

"He's a good friend of yours, right, brother?"

"Yes, you can say that, Cornelia."

And Schneizel took his leave again, leaving his sister bewildered - and apparently convincing herself that her brother was really just simply strange like that.

The next day, the Second Prince Schneizel requested for Earl Kanon Maldini to be his aide.

Of course, his number one reason was because Kanon was... cute.

Of course, Kanon granted him with a trace of pink in his face after accepting the prince's offer.

And everyone concluded that the Second Prince was not only strange, he also liked strange.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	19. Secrets : CCXVV

**A/N: **Twisted. That's what I am. Fangirl - oh, I've been screaming.

**

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Secrets  
**_C.C. + V.V.  
_

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C.C. knew that somewhen in the past, V.V. liked Marianne.

But V.V., being the older brother, of course let Charles have the lady - and the green-haired immortal watched as V.V. start not getting jealous of Marianne's attention to Charles, but of Charles's attention to Marianne.

Because he can't do that.

C.C. knows all this - because the boy had told her.

Yes - she was proud that she could keep secrets. Sometimes.

Sometimes the boy sits on her quarters, on her bed, and he talks, and he lets her-.. allows her to wrap her arms around his waist and lay her head on his lap as she listens.

Sometimes he talks, he curses, and he scowls. He rants. Too much.

And she'll listen, and listen...

The boy is just a boy after all - a young code-bearer compared to her inhuman centuries of living. And she listens as the boy talks and tells her his criticisms.

Sometimes he hates her because sometimes he trusts her more than he trusts Charles. He hates her for being so... comfortable with everything he says.

Sometimes he curses her, and she simply looks up at him and smirks.

"I won't tell anyone."

It was their secret. Charles does not know of this. Marianne all the same.

And he talks... rants... talks while she comforts him by her hug and her warmth near him, and he keeps on talking and frowning and stating why he is angry.

But no, he doesn't keep it a secret either.

He's not angry. He's sad.

Sometimes he talks and runs his fingers through her hair as he does so, and he tells her and talks to her about the pent-up emotions that he had to let out.

"I'm tired of this. Charles has abandoned our promise."

"Maybe he's simply forgotten?"

"To hell with it."

She pauses on twirling blonde locks on her fingers and looks up at the blonde's face as she does so.

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'll make him remember."

She looks and watches as the boy stands up and tries to escape her, but she latched on to his small hand. "What will you do?"

He looked down, hand limp on her clutch, and the boy just smiled at her. "Don't tell anyone."

The woman nodded absently. "Sure. Promise. I'll keep it a secret."

She promised. She wouldn't tell anybody.

So she didn't.

She shouldn't have done that.

Almost a decade later, she meets another boy - this one seeking after revenge of his mother.

She promised. It was something that, while she didn't value commitments, she didn't want to break.

Because V.V. believed her - that she'll keep it a secret.

So she didn't tell Lelouch anything.

Even if it ached for her to do so.

Twisted loyalty and incoherent principles are some things that she had learned to dread, but had to accept.

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**A/N: **Review? :D


	20. Exit : LelouchXCC

**A/N: **The finale, and it also turned out to be the last item on the list.

Enjoy. :D

**

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Exit  
**_Lelouch + C.C.  
_

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Departures and goodbyes were always sad.

C.C. first felt it when the nun had left her. She loved that woman. That woman had been her mother - and C.C. used betrayal as an excuse for not being lonely.

Then it was a long time.

A long long time before she cared.

Marianne had been her friend.

C.C. was sad. Marianne died. Sad that the woman had to leave her children behind as they commence with the plan.

Lelouch cried. Nunnally cried. Their mother was gone. Charles was guilty and confused. He knows what and who is behind it all.

Departures were supposed to be exits. But if it was an exit, she should be able to follow by the same door, without anyone who cares.

Because it was just an exit.

And she wasn't able to follow through.

So their departures were nothing but just plain departures.

An immortal should not be daunted by the death of the people around her.

Yet there was the nun. Marianne. Mao. She watched as countless comrades died. Euphemia. She watched as her warlock killed and cried.

She was the witness of endless departures. Departures, not exits.

Urabe died. Their loss. Shirley died. She could care less, but that tore his partner apart so much. The slaughter of the directorate. She not just watched, she helped.

Departures.

She watched as V.V. died. She didn't neglect giving the boy a kiss on the cheek goodbye. It was unfair.

Yet another departure.

She thought she could follow the boy shortly. She thought she could finally die.

But Lelouch was a selfish man. Charles failed stupidly. She didn't regret though.

Charles. Marianne. Ah, they met again. But she left them, hand-in-hand with her partner and their new comrade.

Nunnally died. Or did she? But for what little time the illusion lasted, they grieved.

Another departure.

She was tired, really.

And Lelouch's resolve was flailing and failing and falling.

She tries her best. All her best to comfort him - even though she had learned to love that girl too.

An immortal has two choices. Pretend that it never happened, or cry and grieve.

The former was easier but suffocating, the latter was soothing but painful.

She waits for an exit.

Not a departure, an exit.

And Lelouch gives it to her, right in the palm of her hand.

She cries on that chapel because he gives her what she wants, and he decides to carry a burden which was the same as hers.

He dies in the face of the world. In front of his sister. In the hands of his best friend. In the witness of his old subordinates and friends. In the face of his people.

It was a tragedy.

His volition.

It was an exit.

His action.

Because she had followed through the same door, and left with him after, and nobody minds.

It was a grand exit.

And after that, they share eternity.

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**A/N: **Review? :D

And for those who read everything, thank you so much and I love you guys.


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